Charlize Theron

Statuesque blonde actress Charlize Theron defied preconceptions to become one of film's most formidable talents, as adept at comedy as she was hard-hitting drama. Escaping a volatile home life in Sout...
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Actress Kerry Washington is set to be honoured by the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) at its annual Media Awards. The Scandal star will be feted with the Vanguard Award, which recognises a member of the entertainment industry who has made a significant contribution to promoting equal rights for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.
GLAAD's president Sarah Kate Ellis says in a statement, "Throughout her illustrious career, Kerry Washington has consistently brought to life characters that encourage acceptance of LGBT people. Her outspoken support for equality, both here at home and abroad, has sent messages of hope and empowerment to fans all over the world, fostering dialogue that builds understanding and helps moves hearts and minds."
Past recipients of the award include Liza Minnelli, Charlize Theron, Drew Barrymore and Jennifer Lopez.
Washington will be given the honour at the annual ceremony in Los Angeles later this month (Mar15).

Sean Penn has declared Charlize Theron "the love of my life" after correcting an interviewer for referring to the actress as his "girlfriend".
The Milk star has been dating his fellow Oscar winner since 2013 and he is rumored to have proposed to Theron last year (14). The couple has yet to comment on the engagement reports, but Penn was keen to let the world know how much the blonde beauty means to him during a recent interview with French newspaper Le Parisien. Stopping the reporter mid-sentence, the 54-year-old actor, who was in France to accept an honorary prize at the Cesar Awards, said, "No, no, excuse me, Charlize is not my girlfriend. She's the love of my life."
He went on to comment on their close friendship before becoming romantically involved, adding, "We have a very strong relationship. (We) have known each other for a very long time. But we weren't together."
Penn's public declaration of love comes shortly after he fueled rumors of an impending wedding by revealing walking down the aisle for a third time would give him a fresh start after two previous failed marriages.
He told America's Esquire magazine, "I'd get married again... You say I've been married twice before but I've been married under circumstances where I was less informed than I am today, so I wouldn't even consider (it) a third marriage, I'd consider it a first marriage on its own terms if I got married again. I mean, I like the tradition."
He was previously married to Madonna in the late 1980s, while he shares two children with actress Robin Wright, who he was married to for 14 years until 2010.

"I'm in love with a woman and home is where the heart is, right?" Actor Sean Penn is preparing to settle down in Los Angeles with girlfriend Charlize Theron and her adopted son Jackson. For the past five years, the Oscar winner has been splitting time between his homes in the U.S. and Haiti, where his charity is based.

Sean Penn is convinced walking down the aisle for a third time will give him a fresh start after two previous failed marriages. The Oscar winner has been wed twice before, to pop star Madonna and actress Robin Wright, and he is now rumoured to be planning his third marriage after reportedly proposing to fellow Hollywood star Charlize Theron last year (14).
Penn, who has been dating Theron since 2013, has now opened up about his future plans in a revealing interview with America's Esquire magazine, admitting he will treat his third wife as if she is his first.
He says, "Yes, I'd get married again... You say I've been married twice before but I've been married under circumstances where I was less informed than I am today, so I wouldn't even consider (it) a third marriage, I'd consider it a first marriage on its own terms if I got married again. I mean, I like the tradition."
When asked about his rumoured fiance, Penn adds, "I'm surprised to be in love. (For) a lot of reasons. (I am) 53 years old, plus (I am) finally beginning to figure out why you haven't been happy in a single relationship? It could seem too late.
"To run into somebody now who you care about is a much (more) passionate, deeper, truer and - God! - a much happier feeling. It's a lot more romantic and a lot more fulfilling to be in a relationship and to think you're a good person within it."
Penn also reveals he is "very friendly" with his first ex-wife Madonna, whom he divorced in 1989 after four years of marriage, but noted that he is "on extremely good terms with the children I share with my second ex-wife," actress Wright. The couple was married for 14 years until 2010.

Sean Penn has filed documents to begin the process of adopting Charlize Theron's son, according to a U.S. report. The actor has been dating the blonde beauty since 2013, and they are rumoured to be engaged to marry.
A new report now suggests Penn is taking the relationship to the next level by becoming the legal father of Theron's adopted son, Jackson, three.
A source tells Usmagazine.com that Penn has filed paperwork to begin the process.
The Mystic River star has two grown-up children, Dylan and Hopper, with his ex-wife Robin Wright.

Filmmaker Cedric Nicolas-Troyan has been tapped to direct the upcoming Snow White And The Huntsman sequel following Frank Darabont's exit last week (ends16Jan15). The Walking Dead creator Darabont recently parted ways with project bosses at Universal Pictures over creative differences, and now Nicolas-Troyan, who scored an Oscar nomination for his visual effects work on the original film, has signed on as his replacement.
The Huntsman will feature the return of Chris Hemsworth as the title character, while Charlize Theron will also be back as the villainous Ravenna.
The new story will not feature Snow White, previously played by actress Kristen Stewart, and instead will focus on the lives of the Huntsman and Ravenna before Snow White's arrival.
Into The Woods star Emily Blunt is reportedly in talks to join Hemsworth and Theron in the forthcoming movie, which is still set to open in April, 2016.
The first film was directed by Rupert Sanders, who hit headlines when he was caught kissing the movie's leading lady, Stewart, in a Los Angeles car park after the shoot had wrapped. The fling ended his marriage and her romance with Twilight co-star Robert Pattinson.

Mark Wahlberg's blockbuster Transformers: Age Of Extinction has been named among the "worst" films of the year after scoring seven nominations for the 2015 Golden Raspberry Awards. The fourth installment of Michael Bay's action franchise claimed the most nods ahead of the annual prizegiving, which celebrates the worst Hollywood films and performances.
Despite being named the highest-grossing film of 2014 with $1.1 billion earnings at the global box office, the latest Transformers movie is up for Worst Sequel, Worst Screenplay, Worst Screen Combo, Worst Director for Bay, Worst Supporting Actress for Nicola Peltz, and Worst Supporting Actor for Kelsey Grammer.
Transformers is also up for Worst Picture, going up against Kirk Cameron's Saving Christmas, Left Behind, The Legend of Hercules and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Saving Christmas and The Legend of Hercules trail Transformers with six nominations each. Cameron and Hercules star Kellan Lutz will face off in the Worst Actor category, along with Nicolas Cage (Left Behind), Seth MacFarlane (A Million Ways to Die in the West), and Razzie regular Adam Sandler (Blended).
Hercules' Gaia Weiss is up for the "dis-honour" of Worst Actress, against Drew Barrymore (Blended), Cameron Diaz (The Other Woman and Sex Tape), Melissa McCarthy (Tammy) and Charlize Theron (A Million Ways to Die in the West).
In addition, a new category has been added this year (14) - the Redeemer Award will be given to a superstar who has been awarded a Razzie in the past, but has since rebounded with critical success.
Among the inaugural group of nominees are Ben Affleck (Gone Girl), Jennifer Aniston (Cake), Mike Myers (Supermensch: The Legend of Shep Gordon), Keanu Reeves (John Wick), and Kristen Stewart (Camp X-Ray).
The 2015 Golden Raspberry Awards will be handed out on 21 February (15), the night before the Academy Awards.

Hollywood couple Sean Penn and Charlize Theron have helped to raise $6 million (£3.75 million) for the ongoing rebuilding effort in Haiti. The Milk star has worked for years to help Haitians get back on their feet following a deadly earthquake in 2010, and on Saturday (10Jan15), Penn and Theron hosted celebrity friends Mila Kunis, Ashton Kutcher, Ben Stiller, Reese Witherspoon and former U.S. President Bill Clinton at the Montage Beverly Hills for his annual pre-Golden Globes benefit for his J/P Haitian Relief Organization.
He tells Eonline.com, "It's essential support. At a certain point when there's a disaster or a conflict in an area, there are grant monies for organisations like ours, but they dry up pretty quickly when you move into a development phase and so this particular night is essential to keep the work that we do going."
Praising Penn's commitment to the people of Haiti, Witherspoon says, "I've been so in awe of the work (he) does in Haiti. He doesn't just talk and just raise money. He actually gets down there and helps build schools, communities and hospitals."
The event also featured performances from Coldplay's Chris Martin and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, while Clinton was presented with a special honour from Penn.

A Million Ways To Die In The West, Transformers: Age Of Extinction, Sex Tape and The Interview will 'fight' for the title of 2014's worst film at the Golden Raspberry Awards in February (15), according to a leaked list of potential nominees. With almost two weeks to go before the official Razzie nominations are announced, awards website GoldDerby.com has obtained the shortlists for Worst Film, Worst Remake, Worst Screenplay, Worst Screen Combo, Worst Director and Worst Actor, Actress, Supporting Actor and Supporting Actress.
Unsurprisingly, Transformers: Age of Extinction comes out on top with nine considerations including Worst Film, Worst Director (Michael Bay), Worst Sequel, Worst Screenplay and Worst Supporting Actor and Actress (Kelsey Grammer, Nicola Peltz and Sophie Miles).
It is closely followed by Seth MacFarlane's critically-mauled A Million Ways to Die in the West with eight nods, including Worst Film, Worst Director (MacFarlane) and Worst Actress (Charlize Theron). Saving Christmas, Sex Tape, Legend of Hercules and Haunted House 2 land six nominations, according to the leaked list, while Pompeii, The Expendables 3 and Johnny Depp's Transcendence bottom out with five apiece.
Cameron Diaz is among the potential nominees in the Worst Actress category with two films, Sex Tape and The Other Woman, and she's also up for Worst Supporting Actress for her role in Annie, while Glee star Lea Michele's voice in Legends of Oz: Dorothy's Return earns her a Razzie consideration for Worst Actress.
Seth Rogen's controversial new comedy picks up four early nods, including Worst Film and Worst Actor (Rogen and James Franco), and movie veteran Jane Fonda could land a Razzie for her role as a lesbian matriarch in This is Where I Leave You, while Kelsey Grammer, Mel Gibson and Arnold Schwarzenegger are all under consideration for a Worst Supporting Actor nomination for The Expendables 3.
The Golden Raspberry Awards nominations will be unveiled on 14 January (15).

Title

Had a non-speaking role in the direct-to-video film "Children of the Corn III"

Landed a featured role in Tom Hanks' directorial debut "That Thing You Do!"

Grew up on family's farm in Benoni, South Africa

Starred in the title role in the feature adaptation of the MTV cartoon "Aeon Flux"

Starred alongside Mark Wahlberg as the female lead in "The Italian Job"

Had featured role as an oversexed supermodel in Woody Allen's "Celebrity"

Offered a strong turn as a woman torn between two loves in "The Cider House Rules"

Settled in Los Angeles; talent manager John Crosby volunteered to represent her after witnessing a colorful tantrum aimed at a bank teller who would not cash her out-of-state check

Moved to Milan and for the next year and traveled all over Europe modeling

Reteamed with Keanu Reeves for the remake of "Sweet November"

Reunited with Woody Allen for a role in "The Curse of the Jade Scorpion"

Played a fiction writer who returns to her small town in Minnesota in "Young Adult"; film written by Diablo Cody and directed by Jason Reitman

Danced professionally in Johannesburg

Cast in "North Country" a fictionalized account of the first major successful sexual harassment case in the United States; earned Oscar, Golden Globe and SAG nominations for Best Actress

Won praise for her performance as Keanu Reeves' neglected wife in "The Devil's Advocate"

Relocated to NYC, taking modeling jobs to pay the rent; studied with the Joffrey Ballet for eight months before a knee injury curtailed dance career

Received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (September)

Played the evil queen opposite Kristen Stewart in adventure drama "Snow White and the Huntsman"

Starred with Matt Damon and Will Smith in Robert Redford's "The Legend of Bagger Vance"

Directed by boyfriend Stuart Townsend in "The Battle in Seattle," a film about the 1999 World Trade Organization protests

Co-starred with Billy Bob Thornton in comedy "Waking Up in Reno"

Made film debut in John Herzfeld's "2 Days in the Valley"

Narrowly beaten out by Elizabeth Berkley for the lead in the disastrous "Showgirls"

Co-starred as a corporate heavyweight who leads a space mission in "Prometheus," directed by Ridley Scott

Co-starred with Will Smith in the superhero comedy "Hancock"

Cast as blonde bombshell and former Bond girl Britt Ekland in the HBO biopic "The Life and Times of Peter Sellers"; received Golden Globe, SAG and Emmy nominations for Best Actress in a Supporting Role

Began studying ballet at age six

Signed on to be the new face of Christian Dior's fragrance J'adore; appeared in print ads and TV commercials

Played a police detective opposite Tommy Lee Jones in Paul Haggis' "In the Valley of Elah"

Cast as the wife, who appears in flashbacks, in the feature adaptation of Joe Penhall's novel "The Road"

Moved to Miami, FL

At age 16, won an Italian modeling agency contest

Co-starred with Ben Affleck in "Reindeer Games"

Starred in drama "Trapped" with Kevin Bacon as parents whose daughter is kidnapped

Played Robert De Niro's alcoholic wife in "Men of Honor"

Guest starred on five episodes of the Fox comedy "Arrested Development," playing the love interest of Jason Bateman

Played the title role in the thriller "The Astronaut's Wife"

Won an Oscar portraying real life serial killer Aileen Wuornos in "Monster"

Summary

Statuesque blonde actress Charlize Theron defied preconceptions to become one of film's most formidable talents, as adept at comedy as she was hard-hitting drama. Escaping a volatile home life in South Africa, Theron pursued a successful modeling career prior to becoming an actress with supporting roles in such films as "That Thing You Do!" (1996) and "The Devil's Advocate" (1997). And although she displayed admirable range with turns alongside Michael Caine in "The Cider House Rules" (1999) and Woody Allen in "The Curse of the Jade Scorpion" (2001), that career-defining role had yet to come her way. Everything changed when the stunning beauty shattered her ingénue persona with her transformative, Oscar-winning portrayal of convicted serial killer Aileen Wournos in "Monster" (2003). Another highly-lauded performance as a woman fighting against male domination - albeit in starkly dissimilar ways - came with the sexual harassment drama "North Country" (2005). As one of Hollywood's more versatile and respected actresses, Theron went on to enjoy roles in both big-budget blockbusters like the superhero adventure "Hancock" (2008) and the critically-acclaimed dark-comedy "Young Adult" (2011). Breathtakingly beautiful as well as deeply committed to her craft, Theron never failed to both impress in whatever role she chose to tackle.

French; reportedly was abusive to his wife who shot and killed him in 1991

Gerda Theron

Mother

German; shot and killed her husband in 1991; no charges filed as it was determined she acted in self-defense when he attacked her while drunk; took over family business; remarried but separated from second husband after the death of her stepson Denver

Met on the set of "Trapped" (2002); Began dating in 2001; In 2007, the couple declared themselves "married" despite never making the union official in a ceremony; Split in 2010

Education

Name

Notes

Theron's first language was Afrikaans.

Theron at one time was mentioned for the role of the husband-killing Roxie Hart in the film version of the Kander and Ebb musical "Chicago," a bit of irony because in 1991 her own mother shot and killed her father ( who was reportedly an abusive drunk and the shooting was ruled as self-defense).

"When I started auditioning, I was hearing, 'She's really talented but she needs to lose the accent.' So I decided to get rid of it completely. I didn't have the money for a coach, so I basically had my television on all the time. I'd listen to everything from Nickelodeon to 'Love Boat' reruns, and I'd try to catch myself when the accent came through." – Theron quoted in Detour, November 1996

"I remember going out for a job for shaving cream. They only wanted a pair of legs. Ever seen a dancer's feet close-up? Naturally, the feedback was, 'She has ugly feet.' Not that I think I'm super intelligent, but I thought to myself, Jesus, what is all this about? It had nothing to do to do with what I'd learned or experienced. Not to badmouth all of the business, because it made me independent at a very young age, and I'm forever grateful for that. And I don't think any less of models – frankly I admire them for having so much perserverance. I take my hat off to supermodels who are content and happy, but I could never live that life." – Theron on modeling to Hal Rubenstein in Interview, November 1997

"Why be afraid of your sexuality? What are you going to do? Walk around the rest of your life going, 'I can't believe I got dealt these cards!' I think of myself as a very sexual creature. I have to use that. I have no choice. I like it. I didn't grow up with a mother telling me what I had under my clothes was bad or evil. Nudity, if used correctly, is extremely powerful. It's there to shock." – Theron to Kevin Sessums in Vanity Fair, January 1999

"In a world of premieres and movie sets and self-important, Versace-wearing, no-good bastards who indulge in every kind of bad behavior, Charlize is one of those people who are really there for the work. At the same time she is one of the more innately glamorous people you'll ever meet. One thing you should know is that you're not going to figure Charlize out. She's a very peaceful person, but she can bring mayhem to a part like nobody else, because she knows what strife is. She's not prudish, but she has an unswayable moral compass. I don't believe in astrology, but she's a Leo. And that's funny, because she is sort of a lioness." – Theron's then-boyfriend Stephan Jenkins, quoted in Vanity Fair, January 1999

"It's weird when people call you the next big thing. But I ultimately have no control over what any of these films look like or how critics will react to them or me. In all, I've made ten films and I've been blessed to have had the chance. But I've never tried to become a part of the machine to do it. Instead I've come from the school that if you work hard and deliver, you will continue to work. People always ask where I see myself in ten years, and the answer is still a big, 'I don't know'. But if I continue to do the work, to challenge myself and challenge audiences – Who knows? I might just have some career longevity yet." – Theron quoted in Empire, April 1999

Theron was named one of People Magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People" for 2004.

"The body is such a great vehicle to tell a story, one that gets neglected. Or when people do use it, they get criticized. When you do something like 'Monster' or what Nicole Kidman did [in 'The Hours'] or what Halle Berry did [in 'Monster's Ball'], then all of a sudden people go, 'Well, that's just a trick to win an Oscar.' But what people forget is that that's what were supposed to do. We're not supposed to look like or be ourselves." – Theron to Interview magazine, October 2005

In 2008, Charlize Theron was named the Hasty Pudding Theatricals Woman of the Year.

In November 2008, Theron was named a United Nations messenger of peace by U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. Her role will focus on ending violence against women.

"You know when girls say, 'I'm a girl's girl'? It has never felt right for me to say that because I don't know if I'm a girl's girl. I think I might be a full woman's woman." – Theron quoted in Interview, June/July 2012